Mechanism for operating cream-separators.



PATENTED NOV. 3, 1903.

J. F. PERSOONS. MECHANISM FOR OPERATING OREAM SEPARATORS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNEIB, 1898.

N0 MODEL.

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NITED STATES .Patented November 3, 1901 PATENT OFFICE.

JULES FRANQOIS PERSOONS, OF THILDONOK, BELGIUM.

MECHANISM FOR OPERATING CREAM-SEPARATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 743,186, dated November 3, 1903.

1 Application filed June 13, 1898. Serial No. 683,345. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULEs FRAN oIs PER- SOONS, a subject of the King of Belgium, residing at Thildonck, Belgium, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for Operating Cream-Separators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to centrifugal cream-separators; and it has for its object certain improvements in the manner of mounting the separator spindle or shaft and in the construction of the frame from which the operative elements are supported, as will now be fully described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a vertical central section of a cream-separator constructed in accordance with this invention.

With a view to obtaining a cream-separator that will occupy as small a space as possible and possess as great a resistance as possible to displacement under the action of centrifugal force I provide a vertically-inclined chambered frame F, having a suitable base f and bracing ribs or webs f. The chambered portion f of the frame has a removable cover f and its width is gradually increased from its bottom to its cover, both of which are concavo-convex to conform to and accommodate the gearing mounted therein with as little waste space as possible, while the depth of the chamber is also such as to accommodate such gearing with as little waste space as possible. To spindles s and 8 near the foot and at the upper end of the casing are secured the sprocket-wheels w and w, respectively. The spindle s has its bearings partly in the upper lateral walls of the chamber f and partly in the cover f and may have secured thereto a crank c and be rotated by hand or.

a pulley, (not shown,) to which motion may be imparted from any suitable motor.

The sprocket-wheel w is of greater diameter than the sprocket-wheel w andis geared to the latter by a chain c, and on spindle s of said sprocket-wheel w is secured a wormwheel Q02. 7

As constructed, the lower portion of the chamber f 2 of frame F serves as a receptacle for lubricant, into which latter the Wormwheel 10 normally dips, and thus serves as a carrier for lubricant not only to the sprocketwheel w, but also to the worm w secured to or preferably formed on the lower end of the vertical spindle S, that carries the cream-separator at its upper end. The chambered portionf of the frame has at its lower end a stuffing-box f for the passage of the spindle S, which is inclosed in a tubular sheath S, stepped in the aforesaid stuffing-box f and provided at either end with bearings for said spindle S, having suitable races for ball-bearings confined by collars 0 0 on the spindle, said sheath S being confined in thestnffingbox f by a cover-plate f bolted thereto.

The frame F has secured thereto or formed thereon two brackets B and B, the former, B, supporting a milk-reservoir R and the latter, B, having an aperture for-the passage of the sheath S: The bracket B has a recess b concentric with the sheath S, and in said recess are located four springs 5 each having a. coil 3 intermediate their branches. These springs are symmetrically arranged about the sheath S, with their coiled portions in contact therewith and their branches or terminals in contact with the vertical wall of the recess 1), the latter being closed by a coverplate 17 bolted to bracket B and constituting the upper bearing for the sheath S.

As is well known, there is more or less vibration of the vertical spindle of a creamseparator when the power is applied at its lower extremity through the medium ofgearing, resulting in considerable strain on and wear of the bearings. To counteract this tendency to vibration, I provide four springs 3 having bearing on the sheath S at four equidistant points and at eight points on the Vertical wall of the recess containing the same. To enable the springs s to counteract the tendency of the spindle S to vibrate, I form the opening in the cover-plate b for the recess containing said springs of slightly greater cross-sectional area than the sheath S to give the latter, and consequently the spindle S, slight lateral play.

The cream-separator G comprises a circular dished bottom 2, having two or more openended passages 3 and a cylindrical flange 4, in the upper face of which is formed a semicylindrical groove for the reception of a packing-gasket g. The cylindrical body 5 of the separator has at its lower end an externally-screw-threaded flange 6, having formed in its under face a companion groove for the aforesaid packing-gasket g. On the head of the body 5 is formed an apertured raised portion 7, and to the vertical walls of said body are secured cleats or ribs 8 at different points equidistant from one another, which ribs may, however, be formed on the inner wall of the body 5. This body 5 and the bottom section 2 of the separator O are rigidly connected together by an internally threaded and flanged coupling-ring r, the flange 1" taking under the flange 4 on said bottom section and the ring being screwed to the flange 6 of said cylindrical body.

The bottom section 2 of the separator has a hub '9 projecting from its opposite faces, the bore of which hub is tapered inan upward direction for the reception of the upper correspondingly-tapered end of the spindle S,

whose upper end is screw-threaded for the reception of the lock-nut n, that secures the separator O to its said spindle. That portion 10 of the hub below the bottom section 2 is of increased diameter and has formed therein two or more open-ended passages leading from said upper or inner face of the bottom section down through said hub nearly to its lower end and thence at right angles to its periphery.

The dished portion of the bottom section 2 of the separator O and the passages 3 formed therein is such relatively to the cylindrical body 5 that said passages communicate with the cylindricalbody near its inner periphery at points some distance above the bottom through inlet-ports 3 and discharge along enlarged hub portion 10 through ports 3".

Within the separator are arranged a series of separating elements E of the form of a W in cross-section and secured to the ribs 8 at suitable distances from one another, and in thecentral opening of said elements above the spindle S is arranged a distributer D of any well-known construction having a circular top and four more or less wings d secured to the spindle or to some of the separating elements.

The separator C is inclosed in a casing C, having a double conical bottom b b to form a chamber 0 below the bottom 6 said casing and chamber 0 being provided with suitable discharge-spoutsd d respectively. Thecasing 0 is mounted fluid-tight on the enlarged part of the hub of the separator O, with its bottom b above the outlet 12 of the passages 12 for the cream, so that the latter flows from the center of the separator into the chamber 0 while the milk freed from cream flows through the passages 3 into the casin g proper,

* 0, both milk and cream being discharged through their respective spouts cl 01 The casing O is of course stationary and supported from bracket B.

A feed-regulator is pivotally mounted on hangers h, secured to bracket B, and consists of an oblong vessel V, having an outlet-tube Q) in line with an inverted conical recess in casing G, which recess is provided with an axial discharge-tube c projecting into the feed-port, formed in the central projecting portion 7 of the separator-body. To one endof vessel V is secured a weight W, and the point of connection of the vessel to the hangers h is so chosen that weight W will balance a given quantity of milk and will tilt against the load W when said quantity increases, and thereby close the outlet of the supply-pipe P depending from the milk-reservoir'R. The flow of milk from vessel V to the separator O is controlled by a conical screw-valve V, working in a screw-threaded bracket or crossbar 41 secured to the side wall or walls of said vessel.

By the means described I am enabled to regulate the supply of milk to the vessel V through the medium of the valve 19 in supplypipe P and by the vessel itself closing the outlet of said pipe when the weight of the milk therein overcomes the weight W, while the feed of the milk to the separator is regulated by the valve V. I am thus enabled not only to guard against the overflow of vessel V, but also to vary the quantity of milk fed to the separator in accordance with its speed or as the necessities may require.

By vertically inclining the frame that supports the milk-reservoir, the feed-regulator, and the separator the machine occupies a minimum space, while the weights may be so distributed that the weight of the frame, with its contained gearing, will more than balance the weight of the other parts mounted thereon, so that it is not absolutely necessary to bolt the machine to a floor, especially when operated by hand, the driving-gearing being preferably so proportioned that forty-five revolutions of the crank-shaft per minute will impart to the separator C a speed of from six thousand to six thousand five hundred revolutions per minute. This speed may,.l1owever, be materially increased by the use of steam or other motive-fluid power.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a centrifugal separating-machine, an inclined hollow frame, a worm-wheel journaled in the lower portion of the frame, a

driven wheel in the upper end of the frame and means to drive the worm-wheel from the driven wheel, a vertical separator spindle having a worm on its lower end, passing into the casing and in engagement with the wormwheel, substantially as set forth.

2. In a centrifugal separating-machine, an inclined frame having an inclined chamber therein tapered from top to bottom and adapted to contain a lubricant, a worm-wheel journaled in the lower end of said chamber and in said lubricant, a hand-operated wheel in IIO the larger upper end of the chamber, means my invention I have signed my name in prestohdrilve the worm-wheel from the han%-ldrilven enee of two subscribing witnesses. W ee and a vertica separator-spin e av ing a worm on its lower end passing into the JULES FRANCOIS PERSOONS' 5 lower end of the casing and engaging the Witnesses:

worm-wheel, substantially as set forth. PIERRE KIERMAT, In testimony that I claim the foregoing as HENRI DE SMET. 

